Since I last saw Sir Paul in 2002, he's been touring quite frequently...including several more Philly stops over the last decade or so. And it was the recent addition (for the very first time!) of Wings' "Nineteen Hundred Eighty Five" that cinched it for me. Had to catch him again on this go round. Highlights this year also included 1975's "Letting Go", The Beatles "I've Got a Feeling" , 1972's "Hi, Hi, Hi" and the Sgt Pepper deep cut "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!".

On a sad note, it was the very first McCartney concert I attended without Ed, my friend and fellow MAC fanatic. It turned out to be a beautiful summer night, once the humidity died down and the breezes kicked up in the 300 level where we were perched. And the PRICE of the tickets? TWENTY FIVE DOLLARS EACH! I haven't seen this price in EONS and you can't even get this for a theater or club show anymore.....It also took away some of the pain of having to ante up $25 to park! I'm hoping this is a trend going forward......

Here and there I notice Paul's voice is showing a bit of strain on some of the songs...particularly on stuff like "Maybe I'm Amazed" and the Beatles things, like "Can't Buy Me Love". But I certainly cut the man some slack. He's 74, singing songs he sang in his 20s...in their ORIGINAL KEYS...and onstage for 2 hours and forty minutes every night with no breaks and lead singing everything!

Even his newer things, like "My Valentine" (written for his current wife) "Save Us" and "New" are quite good and it was interesting to hear the very first song, "In Spite of All the Danger", he wrote with George Harrison and recorded with George & John in The Quarrymen in 1958 . And he also emerged with a ukulele to tell us of he and George playing their ukuleles together on an early version of one of George's songs "Something" that segued right into that particular song for a moving tribute to Mr. Harrison.

Another moving tribute was his imploring us to "tell the person you love how you feel...before it's too late.." He then sang his John tribute, "Here Today"....which contained a conversation he WISHED he'd had with him before John was killed.

And the effects/graphics people did a nice job on the big screens before the show started of having a sort of spinning cylinder of pics of Paul's history, with Beatles songs, Paul songs and some of the better covers of Beatles songs playing over top. And the very same screens acted as usual to enlarge Paul & the guys so that it felt more like an intimate club experience. And Paul's bringing up the fans with signs onto the stage certainly helped for the intimate feel...including a guy proposing to his girlfriend....a current common sight at baseball stadiums today.....

And I always adore the timed fireworks on "Live & Let Die".

YES, ANOTHER GREAT NIGHT OUT WITH MACCA!!!!

A Hard Day's NightSave UsCan't Buy Me LoveLetting GoTemporary SecretaryLet Me Roll It Foxy Lady outroI've Got a FeelingMy ValentineNineteen Hundred and Eighty-FiveHere, There and EverywhereMaybe I'm AmazedWe Can Work It OutIn Spite of All the DangerYou Won't See MeLove Me DoAnd I Love HerBlackbirdHere TodayQueenie EyeNewThe Fool on the HillLady MadonnaFourFiveSecondsEleanor RigbyBeing for the Benefit of Mr. Kite!SomethingOb-La-Di, Ob-La-DaBand on the RunBack in the U.S.S.R.Let It BeLive and Let Die (Pyro & Fireworks)Hey Jude

EYesterdayHi, Hi, HiSign People Onstage with PaulBirthday > Band IntrosGolden Slumbers > Carry That Weight > The End